Elevator



y 1931* L; RXWINSL'QW v 1,859,483

ELEVATOR Filed Aug. 25, 1929' 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z. F I G i Z m-'-)*' flt towwo.

May 24, 1932.

L. R. WINSLOW I ELEVATOR Filed Aug. 23,1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I I L A. W/zvs ow FIG. /O.

May 24, 1932. L, R. wlNsLow ELEVATOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 23, 1929 amen M abtoweqo May 24, 1932.

ELEVATOR Filed Au 25, 1929.

7 Sheets-Sheet .7

m W Q Q 35 k A. lW/xvszon/ Patented May 24, 1932 haras LIE-DINA. a. Winslow, or MIAMI, rLoaIna ELEVATOR Application filed August 23, 1929. Serial No. 387,935,

This invention relates to elevators. d'esigned primarily for use in transporting passengers in large buildings.

Ieretofore it has been necessary: to provide one shaft for each cage or car and this has necessitated the utilization of a large area which mi ht otherwise be employed for other pu poses. I i

It is an object of the present invention to provide an elevator structure which requires two shafts only, one shaft being used by asdescending cars.

Another object is to provide an elevator structure in which a number of cars can folcending cars while the other shaft is usedby low each other in each shaft, a' novel block system being used in connection therewith by means of which it becomes impossible for any car to approach another more than a predetermined distance. 7

A further object is to provide an elevator structure in which the cars are independent ly operated, each being under the control of an occupant.

A still further object is to provide simple and efi icient transferring means whereby each car, on reaching the end of its shaft, while ascending or descending, will-be transferred laterally to the adjoining end of the other shaft.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodimentof the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

in the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through a portion of a building showing the present improvements installed.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section through the upper portion of the elevator structure showing the car transferring means, a position of a car prior to entering said means being indicated by broken lines. I

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure2 showing the positions of the parts after the car has been brought to the top of the down shaft.

Figure, 4 is a horizontal section through a portion of a car and adjacent parts, showing the cooperating portions of the block system in one position.- e

F igure, 5. is a view similar to Figure 4: showing the cooperating parts oftheblock system in another position. I

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the upper transfer carriage, a car being shown therein (:3 and in the shaft therebelow in side elevation.

' Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the rods of the block system with its shifting fingers andtrippingwing, the partsjcooperating therewith being also shown. I

Figure Sis a perspective- 'viewzof one of the rods of the block system adapted to be actuated by a transfer carriage.

Figure 9 is an enlarged section through the lower portion of the down shaft, the lower transfer carriage being shown in end elevation with a car therein and the storage mechanism below said carriage being also shown.

Figure 10 is a horizontal section showing the removable sections of the car carrying racks located in the storage room, the sections being shown by full lines in engagement with the traction gears of a carand, by broken lines, out of engagement with said gears. 5 Figure 11 is a perspective view of one of theshiftahle sections of a rack. Figure 12 is'a bottom plan view of a car showing the controlling mechanism thereu n-. vder, the figure being partly in diagram.

Figure 13 is a section on linel313, F igure 12.

Figure 14 is a section on line 14 -14, Figure 12. I J 'Figure 15 is asection on line 1515,Fig- 9 are 12. I

Figure 16 is an enlarged section on line l6.l.6, Figure 6. r 1 5 Figure 17 is an enlarged section on line 17l7, Figure 9. v i m of the upper transfer carriage ure 19.

Figure 2 1 is a front elevation of the controller on the elevator car.

. elevator structure and B designates by characters of up shaft of an the down. shaft, these shafts being arranged side by side and coextensive in length. Arranged at the centers of opposite sides of each shaft are rails 1 each of which is in the form of a rack. The teeth on these racks all face in the same direction as will be apparent by referring, for example, to Figures 2 and 3. All of the rails terminate substantially flush with the topmost floor which the apparatus is installed and also with the lowermost floor to be served by the apparatus. In the structure illustrated the several floors have been designated from a to l respectively, the uppermost floor being indicated at Z while the lowermost floor is indicated at a.

Beneath the floor a is a storage room R and disposed in this room in alinement with the rails 1 are similar rails 2. It is preferred to Referring to the figures reference, A designates the have these rails 2 aline solely with the rails in shaft B but, if desired, additional rails 2 can aline with the rails 1 in shaft A. Each of t the rails 2 has a short lower section 3 thatnormally alines therewith and each section 3 has an arm 4 extending inwardly from its lower end portion. I

The sections 3 are sli'dably .mounted in guideways 5 and the arms 4 are pivotally connected to an actuating lever 6 at opposite sides of the fulcrum 7 thereof. By referring to Figure it will be seen that when lever 6 is swung in one direction, the sections 3 will be moved laterally out of alinement with the V rails 2. When lever 6 is moved in the opposite direction, however, these sections 3 will be brought back into alinement with the rails 2; A track 8Lis extended between the shiftable sections 3 and is 'used for the purpose hereinafter explained. The shafts A and B suitably arranged guide rails 9 extending longitudinally thereof and within the back portion of each of these shafts is also located 7 a conductor rail 10. i

Located onthe upper floor Z is atrack 11 that extends past the upper ends of the two shafts A and B and this track is adapted to be engaged by, the supporting wheels 12 of a 33 transfer carriage 13. .The carriage isformed 5 preferably of an open framework carrying of the structure in.

in the carr age.

may be provided withv bumper 16 and another stop or bumper 17 limits its movement in the opposite direction. When the carriage is in engagement with bumper 17 rails 14 aline with the'rails V 1 in the shaft B and provide continuations of the racksformed by the rails 1.

Mounted on the carriage 13 is an electric motor indicated generally at 18. Thismotor has diverging controlling levers 19, 19 and 20 secured to a shaft 93 which carries the movable contact or brush 94 of an electric switch 95 in the carriage. When the brush or contact is in one extreme position as shown at 96 in Figure 20, the switch is in forward position. The other extreme position 97 is reverse while the intermediate position 98 is the stop position of, the switch. Lever 19 is connected by a link 21 to a cam 22 pivotally mounted at 23 within the carriage 13 close to one of the rails 14 V One end of the link 21 is extended past lever 19 to form a push rod 24. Located above the bumper 17 in the path of this push rod isa stop 25 and another stop when the transfer carriage reaches onelimit of its movement as will be hereinafter ex-' plalned. Located 1n the transfer carnage 13 is a conductor rail 2'? adapted to Minewith and electrically engage one of the rails 10 when the carriage is brought to either of its extreme positions. 7

Other conductor rails 28 are arranged parallel with the path of movement of carriage 110 13 and adapted to be 'movably engaged by contact elements 29 movable with the carriage and electrically connected to the motor 18. The lead'from one of these contact elementsextends to the switch 95 and thence to the motor as shownat 99 in Figure-19. Motionis transmitted from the shaft of the mo tor 18 to one of the axles of carriage 13 through a train of gears 1.01. p

A tripping pin 30-is extended downwardly 1.229 from one endportion of carriage 13 and disposed at one side of the path of the carriage Ell-LS l lever 32 the other arm of which extends into the shaft B close to the top thereof This pin 31 and the arm of lever'32 that engages 1 it may be yieldingly supported by a spring Arranged on the floor a is a track 34 that extends past the lower ends'of shafts A and 13b "off racks adapted to be positioned between and in ali nement with the rails 1 and 2 of shaft 13 when the carriage 36 is 1110118 eX- treme position. When the carriage is in its "other extreme position,the rails 3'? will aline with the rails 1 in shaft A and also with the rails 2 thereunder, if they are employed. v

Carriage 36, like carriage 13 is provided with 'aconduc'tor rail-38 adapted to move into alineinent with and to electrically engageone or the other of the rails 10. There is also provided a conductor rail 39 in the storage room R that 'alines with the rail 10 and is adapted to beelectrically contacted by rail 38 when brought into alinemen't therewith.

Conductorrails 40 are arranged parallel withthe path of movement of carriage 36 and are adapted to be movably engaged by contacts 41 mounted on the carriage and electrically connected to the motor 42 on the carriage, the same-arrangement being used as on the carriage l3 heretofore described. This carriage 3'6 is'lim'ited in its movement by bumpers 43 and 44 and has diverging controller levers 45 and '46 provided with actuating mechanism such as that used in con nectlon with the levers of motor 18 on the upper transfer carriage l3.

Arranged longitudinally within the shaft are rotatable rods '47 arranged substantially parallel with each other and close together. The lowermost rod extends from floor 6 of the building structure upwardly through threeflo'ors. The second rod begins at floor 0 and extends upwardly through three floors. This arrangement is "continued throughout the height of the shaft A.

In shaft B there are also provided rods. 47 located close together and substantially'pa'r 'a ll'el. These rods are arranged oppositely to those in shaft A, the first rod being extended downwardly from floor '70 to floor 2', the sec-- ond rod being extended from the fioorj to the floor it, the third rod being extended downwardly from floor i to floor 9, etc.

Each of the rods 47 in shaft A is provided at its lower end portion with a tripping wing 48 and extending from said rod ata distance from the wing approximately equal to the height of an elevator car is a shifting finger 49. Another shifting finger 50 is extended from the rod at its upper end. These fingers do not occupy the same plane but occupyplanes diverging from the rod. This will be apparent by referring to Figures 4 and 5.

The uppermost rod 47 in shaft A has fingers 51 and 52 diverging therefromand one or the other of these fingers is constantly in the path of the tripping pin :30 depending from carriage 13.

pared with the rods in shaft A. Likewise the I.

lower end of the lowest rod in shaft B has diverging fingers 51 and 52 one 'or the other of which is always in thepath of a tripping pin 53 extending upwardly from the transfer carriage 36. v t l The tripping wings and the fingers extending from the rods 47 in the two shafts A and B are normally positioned with the Wings, 7

shifted laterally out 'of the paths of the elevator cars as hereinafter explained.

A plurality of elevator cars are used in'the shafts and all of these cars are of like construction, each being adapted to follow the other at a predetermined distance upwardly in shaft A, wardly in shaft B, and laterally in carriage 36 to the point of starting.

'Each car, indicated at 54, wheels 55 adapted to engage has supporting therails'S when the car is lowered into the room R. A trans verse shaft 56 extends under the car and provided at its ends with traction gears 57 adapted to engage and travel along the toothed rails 1, 37, 2, and 15. These gears are held in mesh with the rails by angular guide plates 58 which extend partly around the rails as shown particularly in Figure 12.

laterally in carriage 13 down- 7 An electric motor'59 is carried by each car and is adapted to transmit motion gears 60 to shaft 56. to this motor from the conductor rail 10 includes a'stationary contact 61 and amovable contact 62. The movable contact is carried by a lever 63 fulcrumed as at 64 and extending between actuating lugs 65 from a slide 66. a

A spring 67 is located in a housing 68 and bears at its ends against centering plungers 69 that project from the opposite ends of housing 68. These plungers bear against ears 70 and '71 depending from slide 66 and thus serve to hold said slide normally positioned where it will hold contact '62 centered on'contact 61.

A bell crank lever 72 is fulcrumed on the I bottom of the car so as to swing vertically and one arm of this lever is extended laterally beyond thecar to form a tripping arm 73. This tripping arm is located where itwill I come against any one of the tripping wings L 48 if moved out of normal position. W hen the tripping arm 73 is swung in either directlon away from intermediate position as shown by broken linesin Figure 13, it will cause bell'crank 72 to shift slide 66 against throi'igh The circuit 59 leading that project 49 and 50 as it travels one of the plungers 69, thereby to compress sprin 67 and move contact 62 off of contact 61. 6bviously this will break the circuit'to the motor 59 so that the car cannot proceed Lm'der its own power. Secured to the shaft 56 is a brake wheel 74 around whichis extended a brake band. 75 the ends of which engage oppositely extending cranks 76 carried by a shaft 77. This shaft has a radial arm 7 8 to which is connected the slide 66. Thus it will be seen that when slide 66 is shifted in either direction out of normal position the two cranks 7 6 will be swung out of a vertical plane and act to draw the ends of the band 75 toward each other. Thus the band will be clamped on wheel 74.

Anothervbrake wheel 79 is secured to the shaft 56 and extending therearound is a band 80 onerend of which merges into an arm 81 in which is pivoted a lever 82. This lever has a short arm 83' connected by a link 84 to the other end of the band. The other arm of lever 82 is connected by a long link 85 to a hand-operated brake lever 86 and to a footoperated brake lever-81 These levers 86 and 87 are located where they can be actuated readilyby the person handling the controller 88. This controller, which includes a handle 88", can be of any desired construction and is used'for regulating'the flow of current to motor 59 when the circuit59 isnot otherwise interfered with. See Figure 12.

Mounted on the outside of each car 54 is bracket 89 on the outer end of which is secured a rectangular cam 90 positioned where it will strike successively againstthe fingers upwardly in shaft A and downwardly in shaft B. -Entending from the upper portion of each car is atripping pin 91 and at another point each car has a bell crank lever 92 constituting a trip which can swing upwardly butis, limited in its downward movement.

As before explained a number of cars 54 are to be used in the shafts A and B. These are designed to follow one another upwardly inshaft A and downwardly in shaft B. As

mov ng car leaves floor b, one edge of the cam 90 will come against finger 49 of the first rod 47 and deflect said finger laterally out of the path of the cam. This movement will also swing the tripping wing 48 inwardly to position beneath the car an upwardly where it will remain until the. car has. as-

cended a predetermined distance whereupon the cam will come against finger 50 and swing it laterally. This will rotate rod 47 and swing the wing 48 out from under the car. With the rods stepped ems-explained heretofore and each rod'extending through three stories, it will be apparent that as a car ascends three wings 48 will be brought successively to position beneath the car and there- 7 after, as'the car continues toascend, additional wings Wlll be swung to position there-' under while the lower wings will be swung out of position. .In other words three wings will always be positioned beneath an ascend ing car.

Each car is caused to move upwardly in the end of shaft A it will continue to travel up.-

wardly' along the rails 14 in the transfer carriage 13. As the bottom of the car and the wheels 55 suspended therefrom pass above the level of floor Z the tripping bell, crank 92 will come against cam 22 and swing it laterally to the position shown'in Figure 2. Thus motion will be transmitted through link 21 to the controller levers 19 and 20 moving them to the positions shown in Figure 2. This will cause the motor 18 to be placed in circuit with the rails 28 and propel the transfer carriage from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3. Consequently the car in the car'- riage will be conveyed from above shaft A to position above shaft B. 7 During this travel of the transfer carriage the car is held against downward movement by brake wheel come against the stop 25 and shift levers 19,

19 and 20 and the brush or contact 94 to intermediate or off position. With the parts thus located lever 20 is supported over pin 31 and the rails 14 are in alinement with the rails 1 in shaft B. The car {54 can now descend, such descent being controlled by the brake members 79 and 80 and the motor 59 and gears 57 As the car passes downwardly out of the transfer carriage 13, the stud or pro]ection 91 strikes against one end of lever 32 and depresses it, causing the other end to push pin 31 upwardly. This pin will thrust against lever 20 and swing it and levers 19 and 19' and contact or brush 94 to positions for reversing the motor 18 and causing the carriage 13to travel back to its initial posi 1 as indicated by broken lines in Figure 2 and these levers will thus remain until again'actuat-ed by strip 92 and cam 22. s a

7 When the transfer carriage 13 movesfrom the position shown inFigure'2 to the position shown in Figure 3, the pin 39 comes est-in t fin er F 11 an ro ates t e pper rip:-

position.

When a descending car in shaft B passes h i the f ngers a e t sw s a W se 5& to position above the car and these wings are successively moved into and eat of active positions in the same way as those located in shaft A with the exception that the active wings are above the descending car and not and swing the trlpping wing Q8 out of active below the car. The same cam' 90 will act on the fingers in both shafts because the lower half'is 'a duplicate of the upper half.

' When each car reachesthe lower end of shaft B, it will enter transfer carriage 36 and be conveyed automatically to the bottorn f li f A; :W Q Q thQ car Can Start its upward travel. The operation of 'carriageBG controlled in the same way as carriage 13. 'VVhen the carriage moves away frornand back to position nnder shaft B the pin 58 will move the lower wing {18 into and out of pcsition.

Where two or more cars are moving in the 7 same direction in shaft A or B, it is'e'ssential thatrneans be provided to prVfiilt'thein from c i g- It i fo this reaso T lm flw wa 4:7 and the means cooperating therewith have been provided. Should a car approach too closely to another car in advancethereof, r p nsarm 7. o th Sew ai W 1 iee ga n t t lo e W ns 2& st n th P th he eo an 'w i h a t we been shi t d to inactiye position by the first c r." As soon as arm 73 i tr pped h he rPk'Y 7 shift Slide 015. break the electrical tonne;-

tion between contacts 1 and 62. consequent v ly 'the 'motor of the second be deenergized. Slide 66, when thus actuate d, will rotate crank shaft 77 so thatthe band will be automatically applied tobrake wheel 7 4, thus holding the car against further m ve en e pe at r he 'ca 'thus s opped can throw the controller-"88 to shnt'eif the current and can apply the band 8 0 towheel 7 After t e fir t e -erase pwardly a sufiicientdistance to throw out the restrain; ing wing 4,8,the secondcar proceedfiit be ing'understood that spring 67 will restore h l tie to the mete we rel ase As the movement of each transfer carriage away from the shaft from which" a car is received resultsin the actuation of the'nppernost wing 48, it will beapplajl ent that a ear cannot enter the space above the shaft A :or below the shaft 'B'until after'the transfer carriage has returned to position to receive thecari When it is not desired to use a car, as for w example, after ordinarybusiness h'ou'rswhn M1 is l ht sa a a be er d from the trans'ferearriage 36 along the rails 2 to' the track 8. By then shifting lever 6 to the pq it pn'shewn y .brek i lin s i is r 10, sections 3 can be withdrawn fronibetween ui e Pla 8 an ee 7 T i ve u c e' tk learen e t allev a t e alon ed? 8; L an e snei "se eb rails 2 to receive another "lhuscallcars notin use can be stored in roornR. ii hen it is desired to return the cars to active service they can be'elevated along rails Eat the bottom of shaft A and passed through trans fer'ca'r'riage 36 into A or' they canbe transferred by carriage 3 6 fronrshaft B to claimed is:

1 Elevator apparatus including an up shaft a down shaft, transfer carriages movable aer oss' the upper and lower endsof respectively, a "plurality of independently operated cars within the shafts and inovable successively from the .up into the upper transfer carriage and from the down shaft into the lower transfer carriage, means controlled by each car on entering either carriage for 'movi'ngthe carria'ge froni'extreme position to theotherfand means; controlled by each car when leaving either transfer carriage for returni g the carr age to ear-receiving position. Q- ElQ W Ql" a pa tusf n ed s ep t a pl'uralityjof cars 'r'r'io'vable'upwaidlyin" one ofthe'shafts and downwardly in the other shaft, nea'ns for automatically transferring the cars horizontally from one end of one shaft to the other shaft, and means controlled by car for rendering the succeedln g car inactive on arriving atajpredete m ned d s nce from t a di l H i A b l L. eva appa at i u ing s par e sl1afts,"longitudinal rails therein constituting racks, transfer carriages movable across h r 1 firefi o t Sh f ra in a h car iage adapted to be brought him alinesi t wit he rai n t sh fi' c meable inthe shafts, niotord'rivn" metastatried by the ear forengaging and travelling along the rails inthe shafts andonto the rails in the transfer carriage in the path thereof, and means controlledby the car forau'ton atically shifting each carriage to transfer he c th eih f om P s io ,i nd of one shaft to one end of the other shaft. 7 i

4. The Combination with elevatorfshafts nd a a in ,a lh s af l st u nga i z te d' n e f ina 'y o sha t of bar niovablein' the shafts, a motor carried by @01 mean l efi e s by ea h ,mQ r for engaging the rail tornoye the c ar longitudi al y 1 6 s af a d mean a 1 1 1 96? p 5. In an elevator structure the combination with separate shafts, of a plurality of cars movable longitudinally of the shafts, transfer carriages movable across the ends of the shafts, each of said carriages constituting means for receiving cars successively from one of the shafts, means controlled by each car on entering and leaving the carriage :for automatically shifting said carriage to transfer the car from one shaft to the other and return the carriage to itsinitial position.

6. In an elevator structure the combination with separate shafts, of a plurality of cars movable independently longitudinally of the shafts, transfer carriages movable across the ends of the shafts, each carriage constituting means for receiving cars successively from one of the shafts, means controlled by each car on entering the carriage for actuating the carriage to transfer the car to the other shaft, and means controlledby the car when leaving the carriage for returning the carriage to its initial or car-receivingposition.

7. In an elevator structure the combination with separateshafts,of a plurality of cars movable independently longitudinally of the shafts, transfer carriages movable across the ends of the shafts, each carriage constituting means for receiving cars successively from one of the shafts, means controlled by each car on entering the carriage for actuating the carriage to transfer the car to the other shaft, means controlled by the carriage for preventing a car from moving into the path of the carriage while the carriage is away from normal'position, and means controlled by each car on entering and leaving the carriage for automatically shifting said carriage to transfer the car from one shaft to the other and to return the empty car riage to its initial position.

8.,In elevator apparatus the combination with separate shafts, of independently operated cars movable upwardly in one shaft and downwardly in the other shaft, controlling means secured within each shaft, and means carried by each car for actuating said controlling means and limitin the approach of the nest succeeding car;

9 In elevator apparatus the combination with separate shafts, of independently operated cars movable upwardly in one shaft and downwardly in the other shaft, and means controlled by each car for limiting the approach of the next succeedingcar, said means including superposed tripping elements arran 'ed in series extendin lon itudinally within the respective shafts and means actuated by each car for shifting said ele-.

ments successively into and out of position back of the car as it is travelling upwardly or downwardly in the shafts. 7

10. In. elevator apparatus the combination with separate shafts, of independently oper-. ated cars movable upwardlyin one shaft and; downwardly in the other shaft, means con-f trolled by each car for limiting the approach, of the next succeeding car, said means in; cluding superposed tripping elements -ar-f ranged in series extending longitudinally within the respective shafts and means actuated by each car for shifting said elements successively ll'ltOfilltl out of position back of the car as it is travelling upwardly or downwardly in the shafts, and means on eachcar venting collisions between cars, said means includlng superposed trlpping elements mov;

ably mounted in the shaft, means controlled by the car for shifting said elementssuccessively into and out of the path of the next succeeding car, and means on each car for engaging a tripping element to stop the car when within a predetermined distance from he next car in advancethereof.

12. In an elevator structure the combination with a shaft, of a plurality of cars independently movable one above the other in the same direction within the shaft, a series of superposed tripping elements in the shaft, means on each car for driving the same, a brake for said driving means carried by each car, means operated by each car for successively moving the tripping elements into active position following the movement of the car past said elements and for subsequently shifting said elements to inactive positions, and means carried byeach car forautomat-ically rendering the car inoperative and ap plying the brake when said car is brought into active relation with one of thetripping elements.

13. The combination with an elevator shaft and a plurality of independently movable cars 7 adapted to travel in thesame path and direction within the shaft, of longitudinally disposed rods arranged in stepped relation lon gitudinally of the shaft, a tripping element carried by each rod, tripping fingers extending from each rod, means carried by each car for successively engaging one finger of a rod to shift the tripping element to position back of the car and to engage the other finger of the rod to shift the element out of position back of the car, and means on each car for engaging the tripping elem-ent when in one V position to stop the car'automatically.

14:. In an elevator structure the combina tion with an up shaft and a down shaft, there being a storage space below the shafts,

an elevator shaft Qud of a transfer carriage movable between the shafts and the storage space, a plurality of cars movable within the shafts and successively into the transfer carriage, means controlled by each car on entering the carriage to shift said carriage automatically and trans fer the car from one shaft to the other, means controlled by each car on leaving the carriage for automatically returning the carriage to its initial position, and means for guiding a car between the carriage and the storage space.

15. The combination with an elevator shaft; rails therein constituting racks, a transfer carriage movable to position at one end of the shaft, and rails in the carriage constituting racks adapted to aline with the shaft rails, of rails extending below the carriage and constituting racks, said rails being fixedly mounted and alining with the shaft rails, a car movable within the shaft, gears thereon engaging and movable along the rails in the shaft to the rails in the carriage and thence to the rails beneath the carriage, rack sections forming continuations of the rails beneath the carriage, wheels on the car, a track for engagement by the wheels when the gears are lowered into engagement with the rack sections, and means for shifting the rack sections to release the car therefrom for movement along the track.

16. In elevator apparatus the combination with an up shaft and a down shaft, and a plurality of cars movable longitudinally within the shafts, transfer means at each end of the shafts for receiving cars, means controlled by the movement of each car into one transfer means from one shaft for moving said transfer means to bring the car to position across the other shaft, and means controlled by the car when leaving the transfer neans for moving said transfer means back into its initial or car receiving position.

17. In elevator apparatus the combination with separate shafts, of independently operated cars movable upwardly in one shaft and downwardly in the other shaft, and means controlled by each car for limiting the approach of the next succeeding car, said means including a tripping element arranged in each shaft and means actuated by each car for shifting said element successively into and out of position back of the car as it is travelling upwardly or downwardly in the shafts.

18. An elevatorconstruction comprising, in combination, a plurality of elevator shafts, a plurality of elevator cars, a power unit for each car permitting independent operability of a plurality of elevator cars in each of said shafts, and means for transferring said elevator cars from one to the other of said shafts.

19. An elevator construction comprising, in combination, an ascending shaft, a descending shaft, a plurality of elevator cars, power means'for each car permitting independent operability of a'plurality of elevator cars in each of said shafts, and means for transferring said cars from one to the other of said shafts.

20. An elevator construction comprising, in combination, an ascending shaft, a descending shaft, a plurality of elevator cars, power means for each car permitting independent operability of a plurality of elevator cars in each of said shafts, means for transferring said cars from a position adj acent the top of said ascending shaft to a posit-ion adjacent the top of said descending shaft, and means for transferring said cars from a position adjacent the bottom of said descending shaft to a position adjacent the bottom of said ascending shaft.

21. An elevator construction comprising, in combination, a plurality of elevator shafts, a plurality of elevator cars, a power unit for each car permitting independent operability of a plurality of elevator cars in each of said shafts, means for transferring said elevator cars from one to the other of said shafts, and means for closing and opening electric circuits during said transferring operations.

22. An elevator construction comprising, in combination an ascending shaft, a descending shaft, a plurality of elevator cars, power means for each car permitting independent operability of a plurality of elevator cars in each of said shafts, means for transferring said cars from one to the other of said shafts, and means for closing and opening electric circuits during saidtransferring operations.

23. An elevator construction comprising, in combination, an ascending shaft, a descending shaft, a plurality of elevator cars, power means for each car permitting independent operability of a plurality of elevator cars in each of said shafts, means for trans} ferring said cars from a position adjacent the top of said ascending shaft to a position adjacent to the top of said descending shaft, means for transferring said cars from a position adjacent the bottom of said descending shaft to a position adjacent the bottom of said ascending shaft, and means for closing and opening electric circuits during said transferring operations. V

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

LENNA R. wINsLow. 

